#Verizon pushes smart cities and smart farms

WASHINGTON – Verizon Enterprise Solutions announced it will expand its foray into smart city and smart agriculture technology as part of the vaunted “Internet of Things” revolution.

The carrier’s push into IoT makes business sense as many analysts predicted connected objects and machines will become a multitrillion-dollar industry over the next several years. Verizon’s efforts include new partnerships with the Smart Cities Council as well as Thrive Accelerator, which promotes smart farming; Verizon will also be a strategic partner in Forbes’ upcoming AgTech Summit, which focuses on smart agriculture.

“With limited resources, municipal leaders are being tasked with finding ways to make their communities more efficient,” said Dan Feldman, director of IoT Smart Cities at Verizon. “Towns and cities can start with projects like energy-efficient smart streetlights, car sharing and smart parking. The cost savings and revenue from those projects can then be used to help fund bigger projects, including tackling pollution and upgrading transit infrastructure.”